Fountain-pen desk set



Patented Sept.

UNITED l STAT-Es PATENT orFi'cE.

IFBEDEICK D. HAMMOITS, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGN'OB TO W. A. SHEAFFB PEN CO., OF FORT MADISON, IOWA, -A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FOUNTAIN-PEN DESK SET.

Application mea February iv, 192s. serial No. 88,768.

`This invention relates to fountain pen desk sets and relates particularly to desk sets which comprise a base and a receptacle mounted therein for holding a fountain pen. The primary use of this invention is in the office of a business executive Where the need for a ready pen is frequent; therefore, its convenience mainly determines its utility.

Some of the most important contributing factors determining its conveniences are the position in which the pen is heldin the receptacle so as to be grasped by the hand in the manner in Which you would ordinarily hold a pen for Writing, eliminating the ad.- justment to your style should it not be positionedat just such an angle; the ready flowof ink; from the'pen to-meet the frequent need of the hurried 'man for hasty memoranda and speedy signatures; and the axial adjustment of the receptacles should a plurality of receptacles be disposed .on a single base to meet the demands of a group seated around a desk or table, the pens'being so dlisposed as to be readily accessible to each user, thus avoiding delays in conferences.

Although the conveniences of my improved fountain pen deskset have been described with reference to its adaptability to.

3o the hurried and busy executive, it is ap parent that it may be adapted to meet the requirements of an need or occasion for use' in the home or o ce. s l. Aside from -the foregoing/conveniences, its practicability-is its chief asset. Heretof fore, bases have been -provided with inkvvells andthe usual grooves for resting pens therein. This invention provides the recep-v tacle to be adapted to fit the recesses pro- 40 vided in these bases for olding ink, thereby eliminating the neces y f procurin ew As fountain pens are used in this .desk set, thereis no need of a local ink reserve.- and thecontainer or'recess may be utilized as a holder for the receptacle.

` A furtlier feature of this invention is the interior construction of the barrel of the receptacle.

- peripheryof the barrel thereof. An open- The ordinary construction of a fountain pen provides the -writng point of` Y 50 the pen to be substantially coplanar with the provide:V a practical, dura le, and desirable fountain pen-desk set.

ing designed to receive and`snugly ,tit a fountain pen' in an ordinary manner would cause the' writing point of the pen to contact with the side wall and the bottom of the opening 55 thus formed. As a consequence thereof, sui'- plus ink is drawn into the bottom of the chamber, formed by this opening, and the nib of the pen becomes fouled. o As a result of the present invention, provisions are made whereby there, is no contact'made between the nib of thepen and the Wall or bottom of the chamber. As will be hereinafter explained, a substantially air-tight chamber is formed tofacilitate the flow of ink from the pen. This action will'be further eiihanced by the condition of theI Writing point of the pen, the latter, by not contacting with the side Walls or the bottom of the chamber, will be absolutely clean.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a fountain pen desk set ofl a design to permit the pen 1t-o be readily accessible to the user.

A `further object of this invention is to 75 provide a fountain en desk set in which the receptacle is ofsuc design as to be interchangeable. With other sets or to replacet-he ordinary ink Well in other stands.l

A`further object Iof my invention is to provide a fountain pen desk set in which the barrel of the rece tacle forms a substantial-I ly air-tight cham er to keep the ink from drying in the pen thereby facilitating the flow of ink when starting to Write. g

A further object of my invention, is to rovide a fountain pen desk set in which the arrel of the receptacle is positioned at such an-angle thatlthe ink will be gravitated to the writing point of the pen therebydikevvise facilitating the l'ow of ink .when starting vto Write.

A yE-fiirther object of my invention is to provide "a fountain 'pen desk set in whichthe chamber, formed `by the opening in the' barrel of the receptale, 'is of such a con# Astruction that there is 'no contact between oir.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective vievfT of a preferred embodiment of my invention; I

F ig. 2 is a vertical section of my invention' Fig. 3 is a top plan section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of an insert.

serted a receptacle 13 including a base por-h tion la and a barrel portion 15, the hase portion being of such a diameter as to be uniform with that ofthe average inlrwell in present use. Inorder to compensate for `any variance in the diameters of present day inkwells, a plurality, preferably three, of inserts 16 are provided in recesses 16 in the periphery of the base portion let. These inserts bear against the side walls of the aperture 11 and securely position the receptacle, thereby insuring it against axial rotation unless manually forced. The top surface of the base adjacent the aperture is preferablyl slightly countersunk to receive a flange 17 of the receptacle, thus forming a flush surface.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, as illustrated in Fig. 3, an insert 16 is provided comprising a cylindrical hard rubber plug 18 and a compression spring 19. The spring 19 is provided with a convolution at one of its ends of a greater diameter than the remaining eonvolutions and of a slightly larger diameter than that of the recess 16 into which the spring is inserted. The other end of the-spring is secured to the reduced portion 20 of the hard rubber plug 18. In assembling the insert 16 into the recess, the end of the spring 19, comprising the larger convolution, is forced therein, Whereas, the remaining convolutions and the rubber plug, being of a substantially smaller `diameter, follow and loosely engage the recess.

It will -be apparent 4from the foregoing description that the compression spring will bear against the rubber plug, which in turn will bear against theside walls ofthe aperture 11. Should the rece tacle be removed from the aperture 11 in t e base, the 1u s 18 being secured to theI spring 19, and te inerme larger convolution of the spring anchoring the spring within therecess 16', the insert would be confined to the receptacle.

Also, as a modication thereof, a rubber insert 16 is provided which may be cut away or trimmed off to any desired length, with allowances for the resiliency of the material, so that it may snugly lit the aperture 11.

This modification is clearly illustrated Fig. 4 of the drawing.

In some instances, where a somewhat smaller base is used, it is apparent that the radite, bakelite, etc. The barrel 15 is in sorted in an opening 21 in the base portion 14, formed at a predetermined angle and held in position by means of a bolt 22 and nut 23, the nut being countersunk in the bottom of the base portion. The upper end of the barrel is flared, as at 24, so as to guide the pen into the opening 25. The lower end of the openin 25. is reduced, as at 26, to form a shoul er 27 to snu ly engage the lower end of the pen, there y providing a substantially air-tight chamber.

As the pen, to insure its'being substantially air-tight, must be held in the same arial relation with that of the reduced opening, a lip 28 is provided which extends part-way around the upper end of the opening 25. This lip is so positioned as to permit the barrel of the pen to rest in its inclined position in the saine axial relation with that of the barrel of the receptacle. .Any tilting away from such a relation would cause only a point contact between the periphery of the barrel of the pen and the shoulder 27. The lip 28 insures substantial contact for the entire circumference between the shoulder 27 and the barrel of the pen thereby forming a substantially air-tight chamber to prevent theink from drying.

The lip 28 also serves another function since, `if the pen wereto engage the side walls of the barrel when inserted, the finish of both the pen and barrel would, upon continued usage, become marred; however, the lip serves as a spacer and prevents the back of the pen from touching the top of the barrel. r

In orderr to insure. against a contact ber tween the nib of the pen and the wall of the barrel, a cut-away portion 29 is provided in the reduced opening 25. This is necessary because the nib of the pen is substantially coplanar with the periphery of the barrel i and, as hereinbefore stated, a contact or a close relation between the nib and the wall of the barrel would tend to draw a surplus of ink into the recess and foul the pen.

` said recess, sai

It will be readily ap arent that a base may be provided of suc size as to permit the insertion of aplurality of receptacles and that these receptacles may be turned to any desired position 'at the will of the user and be securely held in such a osition. It will also be apparent, as ointe out before, that the receptacle may e 4adaptedto tit apertures of various diameters in order tov re,-

place inkwells and the like in bases already in use, as well as the various bases adapted to their particular use.

While I have herein shown and described but a single embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to this structure 'or the details thereof. Various'othe'r forms will be 'apparent to one skilled in the art and conse uently the invention is to be limited only y the scope of the appended claims and the prior art.

I claim:

l. A fountain pen desk set comprising a iatbase having a recess therein, a receptacle including a base portion and a Ibarrel portion', said base ortion fitting removably in barrel portion having an opening to receivea fountain pen and means in said barrel to provide a support for the fountain pen.

2. A fountain pendesk set com rising a flat base having a circular recess t crein, a

receptacle including abase portion and av barrel portion, said base portion adapted to kbe free to rotate in saiddcir'cular recess, said barrel portion having an opening to receivea fountain pen and means in said barrel to provide a support for the fountain pen.'

3. A fountain pen desk set comprising-a base having a recess therein, a receptacle including a base portion and a-barrel portion,l `said base ortion fitting removably insaid recess, sai 'barrel portion havin an opening to receive a fountain pen an means in said barrel to provide for a substantially air-ti ht chamber, and means adjacent the perip ery of said base lortion to engage the walls of said recess Wiierebygthe base -portion maybe securely held therein.

4. A fountain pen desk set comprising a base-having a recess therein, a rece ltacle including a base portion and a barre portion, said base ortion tting removably inesaid recess, sai barrel portion-having an openin to receive a fountainpen and means in sai b arrel to provide for a substantially airti ht chamber, and means extending lateral y from said base portion toengage the walls of said recess, said means bemgof a material which can be easilytrimmed off whereby the base portion may be fitted to recesses -of various sizes.

tion, sai base portion fitting removably inl said irecess, said barrel portion having an opening to receive a fountain pen, means in said barrel to provide a sup o`rt for the fountain en, and means exten ing laterally from said3 of said recess, said means being of a yielding material whereby said base portion may be forced into said recess to t snugly therein.

6; A fountain pen desk set comprising a flat base having a recess therein, a receptacle including a base portion and a barrel portion, said base portion fitting removably in said recess, said barrel portion having an opening to receive a fountain pen, means in 'said barrel to provide a support for the lopening to receive a fountain pen, means in said barrel to provide a support for the fountain pen, said, barrel portion having a flared upper end and an opening therein to guide a fountain pen, and a reduced portion in its lower end to form a shoulder for said fountain pen to engage. and a lip Within said upper opening to axially align said pen base portion to -engage the walls I lGO with respect to said openings to insure a substantial contact for thel entire circumference between th barrel of said pen and said shoulder to provide for a substantially airtight chamber. v

- 8. A fountain pen desk set comprising a base having a recess therein, a receptacle fit-- -ting removably in said recess, said receptacle having an opening in its upper 'end to receive a fountain pen, means in said barrel to provide for ap substantialy air-tight chamber, and means extending laterally from said rece tacle to engage the walls of said recess, w ereby said receptacle maybe securely held therein.

-9. A fountain pen desk set comprising a base havinga recess therein, a receptacle including a base portion and a barrel portion, said base portionl fitting removably in said recess, said barrel portion having an opening to receive a fountain pen, means in said barrel to rovide for a substantially airtight chamber, and a cut-away portion withios' llf)

in said opening to provide for a substantial base having a recess therein, a receptacle including a base portion and a barrel portion, said base portion fitting removably in said recess, said barrel portion having an opening in its upper end to guide a fountain pen and a reduced portion in its lower end to form a shoulder for said fountain pen to engage in order to provide a substantial seal for the Writing point of said fountain pen, and a cut-away portion in said reduced portion to provide for a substantial clearance between the nib of said fountain pen and the wafl of said openinof.

ll. fountain pen desk set comprising a Hat base adapted to be placed on the top of a desir, and a receptacle including a base portion and a barrel portion having a ey lindrical chamber therein adapted to receive and completely enclose one end of the body of a fountain pen and interconnecting means between said fiat base and said receptacle whereby said receptacfe is free to revolve on said base.`

l fountain pen desir set comprising a flat base adapted to be placed on the top ot' a dcslt, a receptacle haviugz,r a cylindrical chamber therein to support one end of the body of said fountain pen in order to proine/irene vide a substantial seal for the Writing point thereof, interconnecting means between said base and said receptacle whereby said receptacle is free to revolve on said base, and means for holdingsaid receptacle in any desiredfixed adjusted position.

13. A fountain pen desk set comprising a flat base adapted to be placed on the top of a desk, a receptacle having a cylindrical chamber therein to support one end of the body of said fountain pen in order to pro vide a substantial seal for the Writingpoint thereof` interconnecting means between said base and receptacle whereby said receptacle is free to revolve on said base, and spring means for holding ysaid receptacle in any desired fixed adj usted position.

la. A receptacle for a fountain pen desk 'set comprising,r a tubular member haif'ingr a chamber therein and an upper end openine', said chamber beine' adapted to provide a substantial seal for the Writing;n point of the f fountainpen, and a lip Within said upper end opening to axially align said pen with res )ect to said chamber and said opening.

fn Witness whereof, I have hereunto sub scribed iny naine.

aannam/on n. nAMMoNs. 

